Food in Uzbekistan: 21 Traditional Uzbek Dishes You Must Try Wandering Wheatleys

Food in Uzbekistan: 21 Traditional Uzbek Dishes You Must Try – Wandering Wheatleys
When most people think of Uzbekistan their minds immediately go to the awe-inspiring Islamic architecture of the Registan in Samarkand the towering Kalyan Minaret of Bukhara, or the ancient walled city of Khiva. What you don’t hear much about is food in Uzbekistan.
In fact, when we first arrived we really had little to no idea what we would be eating during our 3 weeks in the country. We quickly learned that traditional Uzbek food can be quite delicious with influences from all over Asia and the Middle East.
Uzbekistan shares much of its culinary tradition with Turkey as well as serving up a wide number of noodle and dumpling dishes that bear a close resemblance to their counterparts in China, Nepal, and other Eastern Asian countries.

Food in Uzbekistan is certainly meat-heavy, and by the end of your trip, you’ll likely be ready for some lighter fare. But while you are journeying along the Silk Road, you should embrace the local Uzbek cuisine. If you’re wondering what to eat in Uzbekistan, you’re in luck. We have compiled a list of 21 dishes you should sample during your Uzbekistan vacation. Yoqimli Ishtaha! (translation: “Bon Appetit!”)

What to Eat in Uzbekistan: 21 Local Dishes to Try

1. Plov

Plov (sometimes also called “osh”) is widely considered to be the national dish of Uzbekistan. It’s a hearty rice pilaf and you’ll probably notice that the word “plov” and “pilaf” are essentially the same. You can expect a heaping portion of rice that has been cooked together with lamb or beef, onions. garlic, raisins, carrots, and apricots. Plov is not only the most famous dish in Uzbekistan, it is also one of the most delicious.

You’ll find that most restaurants serving Uzbek food offer plov as an option, but if you want to truly experience it you’ll want to head to a “Plov Center” in one of the cities you’re visiting.
These restaurants specialize in plov and cook the dish in gigantic iron cauldrons (called “kazans”) over an open fire. Plov centers generally serve plov and nothing else except for bread, tea, and a selection of side salads to accompany your huge plate of rice pilaf.
2. Shashlik
Shashlik is simply skewered meat cooked on the grill. The word “shashlik”, in fact, is just the Russian word for “shish kabob”, and this style of cooking became widespread in Central Asia during the time of the far-reaching Russian empire.
All over Uzbekistan you’ll find several options for shashlik including cubes of beef or lamb, chicken legs, “meat rolls” which is a pinwheel of lean and fatty beef, or ground beef (or lamb).
Given that most Uzbeks are Muslim, it’s unlikely that you’ll encounter any pork while you’re in the country. But if you’re lucky you might be offered some shashlik made with horse meat. Also, if you’re feeling overloaded on meat during your time in Uzbekistan you can often order grilled skewers of potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers.
3. Lagman (Soup)
Lagman (sometimes also spelled “lahg’mon”) is another extremely popular food in Uzbekistan. The most common way that lagman is served is as a hearty noodle stew that includes lamb, onions, carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, and garlic. The rich broth is also seasoned with cumin seed, parsley, and basil.
The term “lagman” is derived from the Dungan word, “lyumyan” which means to “stretch the dough”, and lagman noodles are typically hand pulled, giving them a deliciously chewy texture that you would pay top dollar for in Italy or Korea.